No Girlfriend for Christmas
by The Pigeon One
Summary: They said Christmas was the time for miracles. But there's nothing miraculous about this return.


The almighty fan fiction writer Raven here. I figure everyone else is writing Christmas fics, so why don't I write a Christmas one shot. So, yeah. I even drew a picture for it… before I actually wrote this. Oh well, it wasn't for this until I drew something behind Raven, which in turn became her cloak. So I now present to you A Boyfriend for Christmas azarathgirl style. Oh, and I should warn you, this isn't gonna have my typical happy ending.

No Girlfriend for Christmas

It was Christmas Eve and it was snowing hard. Raven stood by the fire in her apartment warming herself up. Memories flooded back to her from years previous with the Titans. She remembered Beast Boy hanging up mistletoe in hope of catching one of the girls underneath it, Cyborg cooking geese, Starfire unsuccessfully trying to put lights up, and Robin watching the madness. Raven would sit and read her book on the couch, enjoying being able to read in peace.

However, Raven was now twenty, hardly a teen. The years had been good to her: her body had developed into a curvaceous one and without the influence of her father, her human side began to dominate. She couldn't say, however she was happy with the change. It had driven her away from the Titans.

She remembered that Christmas more than any she had ever experienced. It was the year that everything went wrong.

Robin was explaining Earthly ways to Starfire. Raven had sat on the couch watching. Beast Boy and Cyborg were in the kitchen arguing over what to have for Christmas dinner the next day. Raven decided to ignore them and picked up the book that sat faithfully by her side. She looked up when she felt a presence in front of her.

"Hey Raven, why you all alone?" asked Robin. Raven shrugged. "Beast Boy and Cyborg are to busy arguing and you were explaining something to Starfire." She replied. Robin sat down next to her. "Well, Star went to go make something I'm sure we don't want to eat, so that leaves you and me." Raven turned to look at the boy beside her.

"And what pray tell makes you think I'm not gonna get up and leave, hmm?" Robin gave a fake pout. "Now that hurt." He commented. Raven shrugged. "It's my job, is it not?" Robin shook his head. "Nope, it's your job to fight crime. As is all of ours." Raven rolled her eyes. "It would be you to criticize me saying that." Robin again shrugged. "Oh well, I can do these things."

Raven eyed the ebony haired boy next to her. "Says who?" "Me, cuz I'm your leader." Raven picked up a pillow from next to her and flung it in Robin's face. "It's too bad this little bird doesn't take orders, now isn't it?" she inquired, and walked away leaving Robin on the couch with a pillow spread across him.

However, that didn't mean Robin was going to let this slide. He was going to catch her unawares. Which happened to be at five later that day.

Much to the dismay of Raven, Robin had allowed Beast Boy to put up mistletoe above all the doorways. Robin's plan was to move swiftly grab a kiss from Raven when she walked in. Simple but sweet. And the perfect way to get Raven back.

Raven came down the hall, and Robin heard her. With a grin on his face, Robin cleverly placed himself underneath the door: exactly where the mistletoe was. Just as Raven walked underneath it Robin jumped out of the shadows and swung Raven into a kissing position. "Payback is sweet Raven." He said, and then without letting Raven say anything, kissed her fully on the lips.

Raven, although surprised, gave into the kiss. But as soon as she realized what happened, Raven opened her eyes and slapped Robin hard. "Never, ever try and do that to me again." She growled, and turned back to her room, forgetting what she had come out to get. Little did Robin know he wouldn't get the chance to ever catch Raven under the mistletoe again.

Yes, that was the year Raven would leave the Titans, and never return.

So now, Raven sat in front of her fire, warming up. Raven sighed, knowing full well that villains didn't rest because it was Christmas Eve. "I guess I better pull my weight." She whispered to herself. She stepped into her bathroom and from under the counter grabbed her new crime fighting uniform: a black tank top with black mesh material on top, blue spandex pants with silver chains hanging across and on either side of her waist, blue gloves, black combat boots with red laces and to top it all off, her black cloak. She quickly dressed as she heard her TV blabbing on about how the Titans had off as it was Christmas.

Putting her hood over her head so no one would recognize her, she stepped out into the cold night. Instead of using her well rounded powers to get around, these days Raven simply learned how to jump from building to building, preferring it to flying. She flung herself on to her now usual look out post. Everything looked quiet, but Raven knew better than anyone that nothing is how it appears.

Suddenly, Raven detected a presence behind her. She swiftly turned to see a tall masked man in a black spandex suit with a blue bird stretching his wings out spread across the man's chest. "Who are you?" he questioned in a harsh tone. Raven glared at him through under her cloak. "People call me Periculum. I'm out here attending to the business the Titans don't do on Christmas." She retorted with sass in her voice. "May I inquire as to who the hell you are?"

The man gave a harsh laugh. "Don't you watch the news?" Raven (or Periculum) nodded. "I do. But any news about ominous men in spandex body suits doesn't interest me." She turned away, but the masked enigma called after her. "Wait! I'm not done with you!" he yelled. Raven turned back to face him. "What do you want now?" she said impatiently. "Who are you really?"

Raven turned back around. "That is none of your business, now is it?" she said. She spread her arms out, ready to jump. Right as she was about to fall, the man grabbed her cloak from her body. Swiftly as lightning, Raven turned around. She fell into a fight stance, fists balled at her side, the wind blowing through her hair.

The man stared at Raven. "You're not Periculum, you're Raven." He whispered as if she was going to steal his voice. Suddenly Raven decided she'd had enough of this and delivered a swift punch in the man's gut. "I don't know how you know me, but I don't know you!" With that, Raven jumped off the building with the agility of Batman himself.

The man stared at her free falling like the man who had fathered him. "We've all missed you, Raven." Nightwing whispered after the girl.

Raven returned home with nothing except maybe a bruise from beating up a robber. However, the man on the roof was haunting her thoughts. "His voice, it sounded so… so familiar." She said to herself. Having nothing better to do, Raven turned on the news. "It has been discovered that the woman known as Periculum is really Raven, ex – member of the Teen Titans." Said the news anchor. Raven sunk back on the couch. "Great, just what I need!" she yelled at her TV. "Now everyone will be all ' Go back to the Titans'. Well I've got news for you, people! They haven't been my friends for years!"

Suddenly a knock resounded on Raven's door. Sighing, she got up to answer it. However, later, she was wishing she hadn't.

Standing there at her doorstep was none other than the man from on the roof. "What in all Azarath are you doing here!" she screamed at him. The man grinned. "Raven, Raven, Raven, is that how you treat your old friends?" Raven froze, not saying what she was about to. "Old friends?" she questioned. The man turned around to face her. Remember the Christmas you left? Under the…" Raven cut him off. "…Mistletoe."

Raven instantly slapped the man. "It was all your fault, Robin." The man rubbed his cheek. "I'm Nightwing now, Rae." Raven scowled. "Don't call me Rae and I won't call you Robin. Now get out." She pointed towards the door. "I know what you want but I don't want the same thing."

Raven turned and went in her kitchen to make herself some tea. Random meetings on rooftops and people from her past suddenly showing up were just too much for her to handle.

However, Raven had forgotten she had hung up mistletoe in her kitchen's doorway. Nightwing, being the master of shadows (next to Raven, of course) hid near the entrance to said kitchen. When Raven came out without her tea, Nightwing did the same thing he had done all those years ago.

But this time, Raven didn't slap him, or run. She kissed his back, pulling her fingers through his ebony black hair. It was what she intended. She knew Nightwing would try and pull something. So she would tease him, make him think he was going to get what he wanted.

She leaned into the kiss, deepening it with every second. Raven felt a moan erupt from the back of Nightwing's throat, telling her he was serious about this kiss. Worry came into her eyes, and she broke the kiss.

"You… you… actually?" she questioned, not believing he really would enjoy her kiss. Nightwing blushed. "I guess." Raven looked at the man. "Get out, now." She commanded. With question, Nightwing left. Before he walked out, he blew Raven a kiss. "I'll see you soon?" With that he left.

Raven sank down on her bed, crying into her pillow. "I hurt him, I hurt the man who was once my best friend." She sobbed. "He doesn't even know."

At the Tower:

Nightwing walked in the main room with a silly half there grin on his face. Changeling looked at the man like her was crazy. "Nightwing, NIGHTWING!" he yelled. Said man turned to Changeling. "I found her." He airily said, and walked out. Changeling turned to Starfire. "You know him better than any of us. What in the world was he talking about?"

Starfire shrugged. "I know not. Perhaps he is thinking of the year of Raven's departure?" Cyborg came to Starfire's side. "It was really hard on the guy. I mean, she was his best friend." Starfire nodded. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in the red – head's mind. "It is Christmas Eve, is it not?" she asked. The two men nodded. "We shall get Nightwing the best present he has ever received! We shall give him Raven!"

The two men looked at her like she was crazy. "Uh, Star, I don't think we can do that." Cyborg said. "Yeah, I mean the chick left years ago and we haven't heard from her since." Changeling added. Starfire nodded. "Yes, but I believe it would not be hard to as you say, 'track her down'."

Cyborg and Changeling took this to heart. "Okay, Star, but we've gotta do something about Nightwing. We can't just leave to find her." The young woman and the green changeling looked at the robotic man. "What?" he questioned.

"Stupid little grass stain." Cyborg muttered under his voice. He went off to take care of Nightwing while Starfire and Changeling snuck out to find Raven.

Cyborg carefully knocked on Nightwing's door. "Yo, Nightwing, open up!" he yelled through the door. Almost instantly, the room's occupant answered. "What?" he asked. Cyborg studied him. Nightwing, the Nightwing, looked lovesick.

"Star, Changeling and I are goin' out for groceries, thought you might like ta know." He honestly didn't expect Nightwing to believe him, but he did. "Alright, see ya when ya get back." With that, the conversation was over.

Later:

Starfire scanned the skies while Changeling and Cyborg searched the ground. "Have you seen anything?" cracked Cyborg's voice over the T – com. "No, I have not. I am beginning to…" Starfire's sentence was cut short when she saw a huge Raven emerge from a building. "Correction, I have found her!"

Starfire flew as fast as she could after the black figure of Raven. She knew she would fail if she were unable to catch her. She really didn't want to call after her, but she didn't really have another choice. "Raven!" she yelled.

Instantly, the woman stopped in mid air and turned to face her caller. "Star… Starfire?" she inquired. "Yes, it is I. Cyborg and Changeling who was formerly Beast Boy have also come with me." Raven frowned. "I'm not coming back, Starfire. Too much pain is left in that tower for me to bear." Starfire floated over to Raven. "Friend, I understand. But Nightwing, formerly Robin, misses you greatly." Raven's head became downcast. "I know," she said, "He showed up at my apartment earlier today."

Starfire's face filled with surprise. "Please friend, why are you sad about this?" she questioned. Raven looked up. "He kissed me, Star." Said woman gasped. "Raven, this is most terrible. Is this not the second time?" The violet haired vixen nodded "I do' want to hurt him. He… he loves me, but I don't love him."

Starfire nodded. "Then I will ask you only to return for Christmas. Please?" Raven sighed. "Is he truly missing me that much?" Starfire nodded, her red hair flying everywhere. "Then yes, I'll come back. But only for Christmas and only because Robin misses me so much."

"Glorious!" Starfire shouted. "Follow me!"

Raven flew after Starfire, knowing that standing below them were two men from her not so distant past. When she landed, she found that the two boys of the Titans were no longer boys. They were, in fact, men.

"Raven. It's been a long time." Changeling said. He came forward with his hand out, waiting for a handshake. Raven looked at it, then looked back up at the man's face. "I haven't seen you in about five years and all you want is a hand shake? Are you sure you're the Beast Boy I know?" Changeling shrugged. I guess I grew up." Raven chuckled a little. "Oh, I highly doubt that." Raven came forward at Changeling, and gave him a gentle hug.

"It may not seem like it, Changeling, but I missed even you." She stepped away from her green friend. "Hey, don't forget about the man who was like your big bro!" Said Cyborg, pushing Changeling out of the way and stepping forward. Raven, in turn, hugged him. "I've missed you all, really I have."

Back at the Tower:

"Nightwing we're home!" Cyborg yelled down the hall to announce the return of the rest of the Titans.

Nightwing shook his head to get Raven out of his mind. "Okay!"

Christmas morning:

"Nightwing, it is time for the opening of gifts!" Starfire shouted for the dark bird. The former Boy Wonder jumped out of bed and hurried to the main room, still in his pajamas. He entered with all eyes on him and sat down next to Starfire. As he began looking under the tree for his presents, he noticed something very unusual there. Feet.

"Um, guys, there's feet under the tree." He said. All faces grinned. "That's because they're part of your present." Raven said, stepping out from where she stood behind the tree.

"RAVEN!" Nightwing shouted, instantly jumping up and bolting towards Raven. Said woman drew back, preparing for the tight embrace she knew was coming.

"Nice to see you too." Raven said, gasping for air as Nightwing hugged her close. "Um, Nightwing, I believe you are choking Raven." Starfire boldly stated. Nightwing let off, blushing slightly, and sat back down.

"So, do I have the whole day with you?" he asked curiously. Raven nodded. "You get to do whatever you want with me. Unless it's inappropriate." She added the last part, knowing he was a grown man and knowing what was going through his mind.

Nightwing took this in to consideration. "Well, first, I've gotta finish opening presents, then I think I wanna take you somewhere." Raven nodded. "You're the boss."

After presents:

"Raven, I'm dressed, are you?" Raven stepped out of her room. "I hate you." She said through gritted teeth. Nightwing laughed. He had decided he was gonna decide what Raven was going to wear. And what he made her wear was brutal: a tight black tank top with a red rose on it and a black mini – skirt that was different lengths and her old combat boots (ya know, the lace up kind?).

"Well, let the torture be done with, where are we going?" Nightwing grinned. "Well, we're going to the mall. But we're going to the mall so I buy you a Christmas present." Raven growled. "I never should have agreed to this."

Raven followed Nightwing down to the garage. To Raven's surprise, he did walk over to the improved version of the R – cycle. He headed towards a black Lambragine (is that spelled right?). "Come on Raven, it doesn't bite." Nightwing urged. Raven, rolling her eyes, walked over to the car and got in.

When they got to the mall, Raven was really wishing that night of the roof had never happened. She knew she wouldn't be in this mess if it hadn't. But she was now and that was all that mattered.

Raven reluctantly let Nightwing drag her into a jewelry store. He pulled her close. "Raven, you might have noticed I don't have my mask on." He whispered in her ear. Truth be told, she hadn't. "But there's a reason for that. Here in public, I'm Richard Grayson." Raven nodded, almost surprised that he was telling her this. "Right, Richard."

There was nothing in the jewelry store that Raven wanted, so Richard took her across the way to where a Hot Topic was. Raven instantly drawn in. Looking around, she found many things she wanted. Black pants with chains on the back, a red corset, striped socks, and even red eye shadow. All of which Richard bought her.

By the end of the day, Richard knew everything about Raven and Raven knew everything about Richard. And Richard felt it was the perfect time to try and get his dark vixen to become a Titan again.

"Rae, can I ask you a question?" he inquired. Raven nodded. "Will you stay?" Raven turned to look at the taller man. "I already told you I'm not staying." She replied. "Oh, come on Raven, don't be stupid, you belong with us!" Richard began yelling.

"No I don't! I have belonged with you guys since the first time you kissed me!" "Yes you have! Don't you see Raven, you're our friend! We need you, I need you!" Raven was now getting very ticked off. "Richard I'm not the same person I was when I was fifteen, okay! I'm twenty now, in case you didn't know! I don't need a babysitter anymore! I've been fighting crime on my own for years now! Don't try to bring me back on, cuz I don't want to come back!"

Richard groaned. "Raven, stop being stupid! We're your friends, we want what's best for you!" "You mean you want what's best for you!" she yelled back. "What's best for me is to never see you again!" And Raven disappeared, never seen by anyone in Jump City ever again.

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Whoa, that was long, wasn't it? I think It was something like 5 pages. It's over 3,000 words too. Yay me. Well, I told you it wouldn't have a happy ending. My best fiend told me that she thought it was my best, so I hope you guys think the same.  
Raven a.k.a. AZARATHGIRL


End file.
